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In a dark conference room 5 figures sit at a round table. Among them, is Ace investigator and Founder of the Proxy line of work Joyous, The creator of Bangboo and former CEO of Marcel Group, Lady Sunbringer. The current wielder of the cursed blade Tailless, Hoshimi Miyabi and the 13th High preceptor of Yunkui summit, Yi Xuan. At the further end of the table was the current Mayor of New Eridu, Marduk Mayflower.
“Thank you all for attending. I know this meeting is impromptu, but I believe it’s important we hold it.” The Mayor then begins a presentation. “As I'm sure you know, Exaltist activity has been increasing since the end of last year, and we’ve been seeing a steady increase in Waifei following the Bringer incident.” The mayor switched to a picture of the now former (and dead) Acting Commander Bringer, causing Joyous and Sunbringer to boo him.
“Please friends, let’s stay professional. During the election, we uncovered… Disturbing evidence.”
The Mayor switches to a new slide, Showcasing Bringer in a monstrous form. “Analysis of the Etheric Collagulum and remnants by a joint operation with the HIA and HAND revealed that Bringer’s Etheric form contained traces of human DNA…” Mayflower turns his case to Joyous and Sunbringer.
“A sacrifice…” Sunbringer mutters under her breath.
“They did it again… those crazy sons of bitches did it again…” Joyous says as he looks down.
Yi xuan interjects.” I thought all Sacrifices were exterminated during the first Voidhunting era and the fall of the old capital.”
“We thought so as well,” The mayor confirms as he turns to look at her. “We believe the Exaltists were looking to reverse engineer the Perfect Sacrifice…. and it seems they succeeded, or at least found the right way. Bringer was a powerful threat, earning the Threat Level of Nightmare.”
“This is the part where you tell us the nightmare just started?” Joyous interjects.
Mayflower sighs. “Indeed. Ever since, the HIA has been seeing increasing reports of Ethereals similar to Bringer.” The Mayor switches slides, showcasing a strange jester and a figure that Yi xuan recognized as The Defiler, Commander Isolde’s Sacrifice form. “We have confirmation through research and witness reports that these are indeed Sacrifices…”
Joyous plays with his dagger. “So, when do we raid Waifei?”
Sunbringer interjects. “I agree with my emo husband.”
“I would send you all, but as you know Waifei Peninsula is under heavy TOPS control-” Sunbringer fakes a dry heave. “Thank you for that display miss sunbringer. We’d have to deal with a lot of red tape, legislation and TOPS in general, but we have allies over there, and reports say that Porcelumex is collapsing on itself following a massive scandal relevant to this meeting.” The Mayor’s phone rings. “But I have other matters to attend to, so let's take a short break. Some of us need it before we talk about TOPS.” He looks to Joyous, who rolls his eyes nonchalantly. “Yes Lycaon? Hmhm. I see. Pass him to me. Hello, Wise? Yes, your shifu’s with me. Sure, I can pass her to you. It’s for you.” The mayor passes his phone to Yi xuan.
“Yi xuan Shifu speaking.”
Meanwhile…
“Hey mom….are you busy?”
“I was in a meeting, but I have a small break. Is everything well with Banyue?”
Wise looked back, Banyue was busy teaching Belle how to dodge, with a questionable level of success. He looks back as he watches her climb out of a hole in the wall. “He’s been teaching us how to dodge.”
“Let’s try again, Junior Belle.” Banyue speaks with two of his four mechanical arms crossed. “Feel the flow of battle.” In the blink of an eye he disappears.
“DODGE!” Is what Banyue screams before spin kicking Belle through another wall.
She did not dodge in time….again. Gently picking up his sister who was clearly seeing stars from the rubble like one would grab a cat.
“Why didn’t you dodge, Junior Belle?” Banyue asks gently.
“I was still seeing stars… so many stars…” Belle says before collapsing on the ground.
“I suppose we’ll have to work on that… perhaps meditation should help improve your focus.”
“Banyue shifu, do you have some ibuprofen? my head hurts…” Belle raises an arm, trying to determine if the twelve mechanical arms she was seeing Banyue with were real.
“Yes. It may be wise to take a break.” Banyue agrees, carrying his younger disciple on his shoulder as he heads for the storage room to get some medication.
“We’ve been… surviving.”
“Yes, Banyue is quite intense with his training, but after a certain point you get hit so often you start seeing red and yellow flashes and it comes naturally.”
“Is that before or after hearing him scream “Dodge!” fifty times?” Wise asks
“Depends on the person.” Yixuan admitted. “ for me? Before. For you both? probably after.”
“And… there’s another thing… Senior Ye has been missing for a few weeks now. I know you said not to worry, but after we went into a hollow… we uncovered something concerning.”
“Oh?”
“We received a letter from Senior Ye claiming he joined with the Exaltists and Sarah.”
The three second silence that followed felt like an eternity. But Wise was positive he heard Shifu's eye twitch.
“...I see.”
“The letter came in this afternoon after I was revising some footage. Senior Pan and Fufu were with me and…” Wise took a sharp breath.
“Wise. Be honest with me.” Wise couldn’t tell the tone of her voice, but it was something that indicated he was about to see the unfurled wrath of the 13th high preceptor for himself for the first time in history, or not.
“Does being honest guarantee my safety?”
“I’m not mad at you Wise, unless you caused what i think happened. in that case i will be very disappointed.”
“I did not.”
“Then go on. but be quick.”
Wise takes another sharp breath. “Fufu read the letter and she’s been crying like a fire hydrant.”
Silence.
A sharp inhale.
A deep exhale.
“I’ll be over in five minutes.”
**Beep Beep Beep**
“Forgive me, Mister Mayor. It’s my kids. I have to take this.”
“Take your time.”
“Thank you, I’ll be back before the break ends.”
Yi Xuan walked over to the window and opened it. Her small winging bird turned into a pair of Pitch black wings that complement her black dress. Flying away stylishly as everyone looked on.
“Yup.” Joyous acquiesced. “She’s more than worthy of the Voidhunter Title.”
Mister Mayflower looked down, why did every single one of them have to leave through means that weren’t a door?
—
“Feeling better, Junior Belle?” Banyue asked.
“A little… Hey, is it me or is it getting cloudier?”
Above, the once clear sky began to darken as a blanket of gray and the rumble of distant thunder echoed.
“Strange, No weather report said it would rain today…” Banyue commented as he looked upwards.
“Weird, My sister-in-law isn't supposed to come till tomorrow.”
Rumblings of thunder grow louder, as flashes of gold illuminate the sky. unbeknownst to Belle and the construct.
“Oh, Did Wise not tell you, He’s married to Miya-”
BOOM!
Draped in black clothes, a woman with beautiful white hair lands on one knee. Pitch black wings spreading wide behind her as her golden eyes glow with a calm, burning fire.
She slowly walks through the silenced temple grounds, each delicate step carrying a weight to them that echoes across the grounds. Her golden eyes are focused on Belle in a way that makes feel a shiver.
“Oh! Mom! I mean- Shifmom! I mean Momfu! I mean Shifm-”
“Belle.” She asks calmly. “Where is your brother?”
“I-in his room.” She stutters as she senses the Aura around the woman. Her calm demeanor contrasts the raging ocean of power swirling around her.
“And where is Fufu?”
“Also I-in his room…”
Her golden eyes remain fixated on Belle and turn to Banyue who remains as perfectly calm as a statue, nothing of him betrays any sigh of fear, or signs Belle is hiding anything.
Her aura calms, raising her hand gently to rub her disciple’s head. Placing a little kiss in her hair.
“Thank you. I apologize if I scared you.”
With the same swirling Aura around her she walks to Wise’s room. Knocking on the door, before letting herself in.
Wise Swirls around in his chair to face her, Drink in hand. His implants glowing a bright blue, the symbol of the Voidhunter Crest visible in his eyes.
“Where’s Fufu, Wise.”
He rolls his eyes to the side to show his senior Sister curled up in a little box, looking all sad.
Yixuan doesn’t resist the urge to pet her head. Bringing the little tiger thirteen a sense of confort. making her purr delicately.
“Now, mind explaining what happened.”
Wise begins recounting what he did over the phone with her. Sparing no details.But as he was revising the footage, he came across something that made him call his Shifu.
Playing the footage of the conversation through the HDD. Ye Shiyuan talks to the one woman Wise and Belle can’t stand: Sarah. Their conversation reveals just what it was that made the Senior of Yunkui summit turn coat.
Wise and Belle were ready to handle this on their own,but it was one comment in particular that stuck with one of the two halves of Phaethon.
“My unpredictable Juniors and my nagging Shifu.”
Yixuan takes a breath. “I see. Wise pack your bags with Belle, we’re leaving for Lemnian.”
“HDD’s already ready,mom.”
“That’s my boy.” She smiles briefly. before picking Fufu up from her box.
“Alright Fufu, up you go.” The disciple of Yunkui summit picks up the tiger thiren and brings her along.
“Bwahhhh…” She bwahhs out. Still sad about her Junior’s betrayal.
“Will that be all?” Ye asks
“Have no fear, I’ll make good on my end of the deal. Have I done anything to lose your trust?” Sarah asks coyly, like a snake.
“You certainly played the Exaltists for fools.”
“It was all part of the plan.Besides, they’re just some crazy cultists, who cares if you lose a pawn or two along the way.”
“You have quite a disregard for others' lives…”
“Sacrifices must be made, But you’re far too important to lose.” She tries to cup his cheek, but Ye recoils away slightly.
“And where do the students of Helios fit into this?”
When the pair of Exaltists look back, Sarah sees a few things. two nerds with LEDs for eyes, her former Schoolmates. A Voidhunter, and a sad tiger thiren.
What Ye shiyuan sees, is two very big problems, one with blue hair, the other with gray hair, And another very big, Foster mother shaped problem that looked very angry for some reason while carrying fufu.
A Crying fufu.
He gulps.
Sarah immediately takes her leave but Wise’s implants lock in on her immediately as he begins to chase after her with Eous piloted by Belle.
Wise chases her down. She wasn't getting away from him this time.
“My, I’m surprised you can even keep up with me, Wisey. Is it the rage or have you actually been training?” Sarah taunts.
“Where did you take our teacher?! Why was she working with the exaltists?!” Wise asks in a rare display of anger.
“Why she wasted her talents on keeping you safe is a better question.” Sarah retorts.
Wise and Eous chase her down hallways cornering her into a place with no escape.
“No where to hide Sarah… Now answer me, where did you take my teacher?!”
“If you want to see her, you'll have to catch me first.” Sarah throws a smoke bomb and manages to leave in the confusion.
The sound of a Fissure opens and once again, Wise is powerless to do anything but watch on.
“But today’s not that day, wise… Don’t worry, I’ll tell your other mother you said hi!” Sarah chalked venomously as she was grabbed by a hand.
The same hand that took Carol away from Wise and Belle.
“This isn't over Sarah! We’ll find you! We’ll find her! I swear on the Phaethon name i’ll find you!” Wise shouts to the roof.
Sarah’s laughter echoes across Lemnian Hollow “You’re welcome to try, Phaethon!” She spat her name as her laughter faded in the wind.
Through the body of Eous. Belle uses Eous’s hammer to bash it on the wall in anger. breaking a small hole in the wall in the process.
“SARAH! WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU!!!! SARAH!” Belle shouted at the top of her lungs. Causing some of the disciples of Yunkui to check on her in concern. Before she began to cry.
Wise held the sobbing bangboo. Curling up around her, shushing her through her sobs. Wise missed her, but he managed to hide the grief under a calm facade, he managed to keep his emotions in check, sometimes they did get the better of him, But Belle missed Carol just as, if not more. It’s in those moments Wise tells himself why he has to be strong.
If for nothing else, For Belle, Atleast.
For a moment, The brilliant Phaethon, The one their teacher and foster mother placed all their hopes on take a minute together to compose themselves.
“You ok?”
Belle sniffed. “Yeah… I’m ok now…”
Wise carries Eous in his arms. “Come on, let’s go home.”
The both of them walk back to their other foster mother. Who dragged alonged their senior by his ears.
“owowow, Mother not the ears, please!”
“You want me to let go of your ears? Apologize to fufu right now.”
“Fufu… I apologize.”
“Not sincere enough.” YI xuan cuts in
“Fufu… I am very sorry. I apologize for turning to the dark side, I would never betray yunkui summit ever again.”
Yi xuan gives him The Mom stare. Which makes him shiver slightly.
“And I promise that you won't have to sneak me back in or ask Shifu to spare me. I am very sorry.”
Yi Xuan lets his ear go. “All right, You’re off the hook until I'm back from my meeting.” She looks at her watch. 5 minutes to spare, perfect.
“I’m going to drop Fufu back home. Wise, Belle? You and Sihyuan Have a little walk, and you’d better be out by the time im out of the Hollow because we are having a very serious conversation when I get out, young man.” She points to Shiyuan who gulps again.
“Couldn’t we ju-” Wise begins only to be silenced by Yi xuan’s stare.
“Long walk. No shortcuts.”
“Yes Mommy.” The three of them said in unison
“Good.”
With that, Yi Xuan left the Hollow at the speed of sound, before heading back to throne quarter for her meeting.
“Unpredictable? Really? Senior Ye, I thought we were friends!” Belle asks
Ye rubs the back of his head. It was gonna be a long walk.
“So why did you join the Exaltists? Did Sarah brainwash you?” Belle asks
“She may look good, but trust me this woman is a walking red flag.” Wise comments
“Sounds like you speak from experience…”
Wise coughs, looking away. Belle whistles a tune, she loves her brother, she teases her brother, but she isn’t ready to throw him under the bus with that.
“But if you must know, i did it for my sister.”
“Still… What could justify joining the exaltists?” Belle asks
“She’s… Sick.”
“Oh.”
“Being chosen by the qingming sword… comes at a cost. It’s true, you gain the power of a Voidhunter, but the more you use it, the more you lose your memories.”
Both siblings stay silent as they walked through the Hollow. Listening to the tale of a brother doing what he could to protect his sister. How she means the world to him, and how he was willing to sacrifice his life if it means he can cure her, if it means she can be happy.”
Wise and Belle exchange a look. It’s a conversation they’ve had a few times, and while they were willing to go to great lengths for each other, Sacrifice was… a hard topic. Considering they were both willing to stake their lives for each other and their teacher. So they understood where their senior was coming from.
“Can’t say I don't understand the sentiment…” Wise admits while looking at Belle. “Your sister is lucky to have you as a brother.”
Shiuyan chuckles slightly. “Thank you, Junior Wise. In truth I'm a little jealous of you and your sister. You’ve mastered techniques that took me months to master in such a short time. You have the makings of a good mystic. even if i dont want to admit it.”
“I’m nowhere near your level senior Ye. In truth, I should be jealous of you.”
“Jealous? of me?”
“ I’m only so good at Ether manipulation because of my implants. I may pick up on stuff fast, but i’d be nowhere as good without my implants. I’m just a proxy. I’m a liability in the Hollow, I can’t even fight to defend myself.”
Ye shiyuan was taken aback. Perhaps he had the twins pinned all wrong. But he did relate to the struggle of thinking he wasn't enough. The trio continued their walk through the Hollow eventually growing closer as a result and arriving at the doors of the temple.
“There is a saying I’m fond of. In Good, there is Evil, in Evil, there is Good. Maybe joining the exaltists is wrong.”
“Maybe we aren’t so different.” The senoir smiled.
“But you did it for the right reasons, I think we can agree on that.” Belle commented.
“And a cursed sword can be used for good.” Wise added “Then there’s Fufu, who’s all good.” Which caused everyone to chuckle.
“Then there’s Sarah.” Belle spat.
“How do you know Sarah, Exactly, Juniors?”
Belle placed Eous nubs together as if taking a breath.
“We…Used to date.” Wise admitted. “When we were younger. Same class, but eventually, she betrayed all of us. Haven’t seen her since the fall…it’s because of her really that we lost our home and our mother.”
“The fall of the old capital?”
“Yeah..” Wise sighed, truly it was in the Fall of Helios, but that was a story best saved for another day.
“Seems we’re more alike then we thought.”
Everyone chuckles dryly, opening the door of Suibian temple to a teary-eyed Fufu who was happy her senior hadn't been corrupted by the dark side and that she would’nt need to sneak her senior back through some secret entrance and beg Shifu for Mercy.
The chaotic afternoon calms itself, and things return to normal at Suibian temple. As Wise and Belle clean up at the temple, they are approached by their Shiyuan who was holding two swords.
“Wise, Belle, I’d like to offer you something. It may not be my destiny to wield the quingming sword, but that doesn’t mean I can't teach you how to use a sword.”
The siblings exchange a look. “You mean you…” Belle begins
“I’m offering to teach you swordmanship, in exchange for you helping me master Ether manipulation.”
Wise shakes Shiuyan’s hand.
“You have a deal, Senior! When do we start?”
“Right now.”
When Yi xuan came home, it was nightfall. When she opened the doors to the temple, she spotted her kids training with swords. Shiyuan’s demeanor seemed… brighter.
“Excellent form, Juniors. I’m starting to understand what Shifu sees in you!”
The pair of siblings were effortlessly blocked by their senior’s blade, as weaved through each strike like water. Commenting on their techniques. It reminded her of when she was young when she and her sister were trained by the high preceptor.
When the three of them spotted their Shifu. They were expecting to see Shiyuan get pulled away by the ears again but… that didn't happen. Instead, Yi Xuan simply smiled at them and walked on. Evening came along and all seemed fine, Fufu wasn’t crying anymore, Pan had cooked everyone a delicious meal, and it seemed Shiuyan had avoided the wrath of a mother who is on the same level as the Seven strongest people in New Eridu.
When everyone went to sleep, Yi Xuan was busy overlooking the Lemnian Hollow from the Roof, thinking back to the meeting.
Yi xuan stood at the roundtable.
“Sorry for the delay, it was my kids. They get into the craziest situations. Now, We of Suibian temple have been investigating Porcelumex and have found that they had ties with the exaltists.”
A picture shows Belle and Wise smiling with her, a picture taken when they had just joined Suibian Temple.
“Naturally, I sent the finest of my disciples to handle this in a mature way.”
The next image shows Wise and Belle at the safety inspection banquet. Belle Smiling widely as she holds up a large tab, While Wise eats a Char su bun and Pan Rubs his hands. The caption read. “Porcelumex is paying the Tab! Wish you we’re here Mom!!!”
The next slide shows her response, a gentle smile while Fufu is about to slam Hu wei onto a thanatos. with a caption reading. “Good. Enjoy the food. Love you lots.”
Joyous barely restrains his laughter. Sunbringer looks to him unamused.
The next picture shows various documents incriminating Porcelumex. With the caption: “So much dirt you could grow a garden! -B
“Through trusted sources I was able to gather intelligence for the mayor. Trusting my disciples would be able to handle the investigation”
The next slide shows a blurry picture of the Miasmic Fiend, With Wise, A wolf thiren, a Young girl with red hair and a bunny thiren all running from it. with the caption reading “MIAMSIC FRIEND! HALP!” Clearly it was written after with little concern for grammar.
The next slide was the response. “Omw.”
“Of course, I had to step in. After some matters at the temple came up.”
The next slide shows Eous’s little face. while in the background, The bunny thiren and red haired girl hold each other in a hug on the right, and Yixuan holds Wise in a hug with her wings. The caption reads. “My Aurafarming shifu can’t be this awesome. (She is.)”
“Then there was the Fiasco with the defense force.” The next picture shows a picture of the now dead general lorenz form a side profile. the caption reads: “Ego bigger then Senior Fufu’s appetite.”
The next shows Wise’s ankle with a tracking device with the caption. “Mom, come pick me up please the military put me on house arrest.”
“Such matters we’re quickly resolved, however.”
The next slide shows a bunch of defense force soldiers stacked on top of each other in a small pile of bodies with Yixuan walking away form it with Wise under her arm. the caption reads. “She really said: Don’t mess with me or my kids ever again. #Bestauramom #Loveyoumom”
“But not without losses.” the high preceptor of yunkui summit continued.
The next picture shows Yixuan, with Wise and Belle leaning on her shoulders with a sad expression on their face. Tears seemingly having run down their cheeks. The caption reads: “They miss their other mother… I’ll keep them safe, miss Carol.”
“This is where we stand now. As such, with the amount of red tape reducing and the fact that Krampus has been called to investigate, sending the Voidhunters would be a huge asset for us.”
“And were the pictures of you with your new kids necessary for us to understand?” The mayor asks with a knowing smile.
“Absolutely.” Yixuan says without skipping a beat.
Her phone rings again.
“Speaking of…” She receives a picture from someone called Tiger Daughter. It shows Shiyuan sparring with Wise and Belle with swords, the caption reads: “He’s back to the good side!!! PLS GO EASY ON HIM MOM PLS-”
She smiles. seems all was well.
Yixuan smiles fondly.
She really acts like a mom to them.
She loves them all like one, too.